Uhuru singles out national cohesion, winning war on graft as key aspects of his legacy.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and other dignitaries touring the MPESA Foundation Academy in Thika on Wednesday.

President Uhuru
Kenyatta has said that winning the war on Corruption and leaving a united
country are at the core of his priorities as regards his legacy.

While responding to
a question by a student at the MPESA Foundation Academy when he presided over
the official opening of the Sh3 billion ultra-modern facility in Thika, the
president said that these two targets will ensure growth in the country and
unity across the nation.

“I would want to see
Kenya being a more united and cohesive society. I also hope we shall have won
the war against corruption by the time my term in office comes to an end in
2022,” he said.

He urged students to
work hard and embrace integrity in whatever they do so as to succeed in life,
saying they should not overlook their individual talents.

“It does not make a
difference what grade you get. There are those who will not go to university
but that does not necessarily mean you are a failure, you are not. You have the
opportunity to become the best farmer or the best musician. Just do your best
and the rest will sort itself out,” President Kenyatta advised.

The Head of State
emphasized that his Government was keen to incorporate the ideas and innovation
of young people in achieving the Big 4 Agenda.

“We will engage you
and others, and see how we can use your innovation and ideas to achieve the Big
4 Agenda,” said President Kenyatta, who had earlier toured an exhibition at the
academy where the students displayed their innovations.

Emphasising that the
four pillars of the Big 4 Agenda will rely on skilled and motivated Kenyans who
share a common vision for Kenya, President Kenyatta said his Government has
allocated more than Ksh. 430 billion in this financial year to the education
sector

“These funds will go
towards supporting our schools and teachers as they nurture the minds of our
young learners,” President Kenyatta said.

“We also intend to
build more education facilities, to improve the existing ones, and to make
education affordable and accessible to all," he added.

The Head of State
pointed out that his Government appreciates the fact that no real and
progressive education can be realised today without technology being at the
core of its curriculum.

“It is for this
reason that my Government pushed through the Primary School Digital Learning
Programme, and continues to provide devices in schools to enhance learning,”
the President said.

President Kenyatta
also applauded the Public Private Partnerships approach to development, saying
the MPESA Academy is a good example that both the public and private sectors
are playing an important role in accelerating development and providing
opportunities for the less privileged members of the society.

Speaking during the
same event, Education Cabinet Secretary Amb. Amina Mohamed announced that
national exams have kicked off smoothly across the country without any hitches.

M-Pesa Foundation
Chairman Michael Joseph said that about 800 students from poor families are set
to benefit from full secondary school scholarships at the academy which opened
its doors to the first group of students in 2016.

CEO Les Baillie on
his part said that it is run with funds generated from the 23 million MPESA
subscribers.

The academy is a
mixed boarding high school and besides preparing students for KCSE, it has
redesigned subjects taught so that they are delivered in diverse and excitable
ways.

It currently has 487
students.

Those who attended
included former Vice-President Moody Awori, Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, Thika
Town MP Eng. Patrick Wainaina among others.